Sorting device



Aug 5, 1941.

T. M. JOHNSON 2,251,408

SORTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 16, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Aug 5,1941. T. M. JOHNSON 2,251 408 som'me DEVICE Filed Feb. 16, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

Thoma M.J'0h1 on BY 4 f D i 'I :11 I

A TORNEYS.-

Aug 5, 1941. -r. M. JOHNSON SORTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 16, 1940 Aug 5,1941 T. M. JOHNSON I SORTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 16, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR: 4 Tho/no.5 M Johnson. i

BY I I g 6' 1 W I ATTORNEYS.

j l WI Patented Aug. 5, 1941 its eras T GFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to article sorting de- Vices and in particular relates to devices for sorting mail.

A general object of the invention is to provide simple, in expensive, and effective apparatus for sorting articles, such as mail, in a predetermined arrangement of groups or classes, from which device the sorted articles may be rapidly removed in orderly bundles without disturbing the ar rangement of the articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having spaced elements defining series of pigeonholes for diiferent groups or classes of articles, the spaces between the elements being variable as a group or class of articles placed therein grows in volume.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for sorting letter mail, or the like, from which device the sorted mail may be quickly scooped up in the hands of theoperator in a bundle, without disturbing the sorted arrangement thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device, as described in the last paragraph, in which a support has spaced partitions with indicia thereon for identifying the groups of mail placed between the partitions, said partitions being readily removable and replaceable, as desired. 7

These and other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a mail-sorting cabinet or desk embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation, on a larger scale, of a portion of the cabinet shown in Figure 1, illustrating the use of the invention for sorting large pieces of mail, such as newspapers.

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view, partly broken away, of one of the letter-sorting racks shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 4.

Figure 5 is a side elevation as viewed from the right of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-section, taken on line 66 of Figure 1, but showing the rack emptied of letters.

Figure 7 is a front view, similar to Figure 2, illustrating a modifiedform of the invention.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-section taken on line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssection taken on line 99 of Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings, the numeral Ill designates a cabinet or desk, of the type used in post ofiices for sorting mail, having uprights ll, ll supporting shelves [2, l2. Letter-sorting racks, indicated generally at l3, I3 are arranged to be either supported across the front of the cabinet or folded out of the way at one end, as will be subsequently described.

The racks [3 are particularly adaptable for sorting letter mail. The shelving within the cabinet proper is subdivided into classified pigeonholes for. sorting larger pieces of mail, such as newspapers, although it is understood that the pigeonholes may be used for either newspapers or letters, or both at the same time.

Referring particularly to Figures 2 and 3, pivoted at l4, [4 on the underside of each shelf I2 may be a member l5 arranged to swing from and toward the shelf forwardly of the pivot. Secured to member I5 is a series of. upwardly extending partitions l6, I6 in spaced relation to each other, apertures I! being provided in the shelves for receiving the same. Preferably the partitions 16 are arcuate in shape, the same extending rearwardly concentrically about said pivot. The partitions being so shaped will provide substantially the same support for articles placed between them as would quadrant shaped partitions, for instance, but because of the relative shortness of apertures I! the tendency of pieces of mail to slip through the apertures, or to become wedged i the apertures against the partitions, will be obviated.

Releasable locking means is provided normally to retain the member 15 in raised position. This may comprise a hook l8 pivoted on the shelf I! for releasably engaging a pin [9 on pivoted member l5. Other releasable means may be used. The arrangement is such that upon releasing hook [8 the member [5 will drop by gravity,

' thereby Withdrawing the partitions l6 through the openings I! in the shelf to leave the top surface of the shelf clear and unobstructed.

When the member I5 is inaccessible for raising and lowering it, as described above, as is the case with the members pivoted on the bottom shelves of cabinet It, the releasable means for retaining member 15 in raised position may comprise a flexible element 20 which extends through an. opening 12* in the cabinet, an eyelet All on the end of element 20 being engageable' over a hook 2! on one of the uprights I I. Releasing the flexible element 20 from hook 2I allows member IE to drop by gravity, as illustrated in chaindotted and full lines in Figure 3, the eyelet 23 engaging the sides of the opening to limit the downward movement of the member and provide means for raising the same when required.

Secured on the front edges of shelves l2 may be metal strips 24 having inwardly turned marginal flanges. Cards 25 having identifying indicia thereon, such as the names and addresses of persons along a mail route, may be removably and replaceably insert-ed under the flanged portions of the strips 24, The cards are arranged so that the indicia thereon will properly identify the pigeonholes in the cabinet according to predetermined order.

The operation of the apparatus for sorting relatively large pieces of mail, such as newspapers or the like, as indicated at N in Figures 2 and 3, is as follows:

After the articles are arranged in the proper pigeonholes according to their destination along the mailmans route, the operator releases the releasable hook I8, or flexible element 20, as the case may be. This allows the member 55 to swing downward on its pivot I4, by gravity, withdrawing partititions I6 through apertures ITI. While the'members I are so dropping the operator may have his hands ready above the shelf to press all the articles N together into a bundle as the ends of the partitions pass beneath the upper surface of the shelf, as shown in chaindotted lines in the lower shelf in Figure 2. After this operation is performed in one shelf section of the cabinet, member I5 is retained in lowered position to permit similarly lowering the member I5 above it to form another bundle of sorted articles in the shelf above.

Referring now to Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6, a plurality of the letter-sorting racks I3 may be hinged together in sections at 26, 26 substantially as shown. One end section may be pivoted at El, 2'! to the upright II at one end of the cabinet, and the opposite end section releasably secured at 28, 28 to upright II at the other end of the cabinet. The construction is such that the racks may be arranged across the front of the cabinet, as shown in Figure '1, for sorting letter mail in the racks, or the sections may befolded upon themselves at one end of the cabinet when not in use, as shown in chain-dotted linesin Figure 1.

Each letter-sorting rack I3 may comprise a panel 30 having a longitudinally extending cavity or groove 3| in a relatively narrow raised portion 3!] on the front face thereof, this cavity having a relatively thin strip 32 of flexible sheet metal or like material secured over it. Strip 32 is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced transverse slits 32 32 communicating with groove 3|, these slits being adapted to receive tongue portions 33 of a series of partitions 34. Partitions 34 may be of thin flexible material, such as metal, cardboard, or the like, shaped substantially as shown and with shoulder portions 3 for engaging. the face of the strip 32 when the partitions are inserted in slits 32 As the strip 32 and partitions 3-! preferably are made of relatively thin material, the partitions are adapted to lie relatively flat upon each other against the panel 3B. The tongues 33 are of such length that they resiliently engage between the slits 32 and the bottom of groove 3| on an angle, so as normally to retain the partitions in substantially flat relation against the panel. Thus,

the series of partitions will be in stepped relation on panel 30, with a substantial exposed portion 34* at the outer edge of successive partitions. Suitable indicia may be provided on these ex- 5 posed portions 34', in accordance with the arrangement of an established mail route. With the above described construction the partitions 34 may be easily and quickly removed or replaced, and the spacing between the partitions is readily 0 adjustable.

In the operation of the letter-sorting apparatus the operator places the letters under the proper partitions 34, in the manner shown in Figures 4 and 5, until all letters have been sorted into the various racks. He then engages his fingers under the lowermost letters in a rack 30, on each side of raised portion 30, and scoops or lifts the letters out of the rack in a bundle, which may be accomplished without disturbing the sorted arrangement of the letters.

Figures 7 to 9 show a modification of the structure shown in Figures 2 and 3, the essential difference residing in the provision of laterally shiftable partitions Isa, which may be self-ad justing, these partitions being carried by a member I5 which is shiftable from and toward the shelf I2 To this end, member I5 may comprise a pair of arms I5 extending forwardly from pivots at I i in uprights II at opposite ends of a shelf section, and a longitudinally extending rod l5 fixed at each end to the forward ends of the arms. A series of spaced partitions I6 similar in shape to partitions IS in Figure 3, may be slidably mounted on rod I5, a key or spline I5 ex- 35 tending the length of the rod, cooperating with keyways in the partitions to prevent relative r0- tation of the partitions on the rod. Springs 95 I5 extending between adjacent partitions, and between the end partitions and the arms I5 4 yieldingly and self-adjustingly hold the partitions in substantially uniformly spaced relation. The partitions I 6 curve upwardly and rearwardly through a slot H in shelf I2 when member I5 is held in raised position, as by means of 4,3 yielding detents II II in uprights Il yieldingly engaging the under edges of the arms I5". When it is, required to lower the partitions it is only necessary initially to force member I5 downwardly past the yielding detents II and then let the member drop by gravity.

Each partition It may have a forward extension Ifi to which is secured a metal strip I6 having inturned marginal portions adapted to receive thereunder a card I6 upon which is indicia to identify the class or group of mail, or the like, which should occupy an adjacent pigeon-hole. This arrangement is such that the indicia will always be in front of the right pigeonhole regardless of any Variation in size or locasn tion of the pigeonhole during a mail-sorting L process.

In the use of this construction for sorting large pieces of mail, such as newspapers or the like, the pieces of mail are sorted into the pigeonholes 5 between the partitions Ili then after the articles are sorted member I5 is urged downwardly past detents to permit the sorted articles to be removed in an orderly bundle, as described in connection with Figures 2 and 3. If the mail going into one pigeonhole requires greater space than adjacent pigeonholes, the partitions will automatically adjust themselves laterally against the action of the springs I5 as best shown in Figure 7.

Thus has been provided simple and effective apparatus for facilitating the expeditious handling of mail or the like.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sorting device of the character described comprising a support, an apertured shelf mounted on said support, a member mounted to be shiftable from and toward the underside of said shelf, spaced elements on said shiftable member, each element projecting upwardly through an aperture in the shelf to subdivide the space above the shelf into a series of pigeonholes when the member is in raised position, and releasable means for retaining said member in said raised position, said means being releasable to permit said member to shift downwardly and thereby Withdraw said elements from the space above the top surface of the shelf.

2. A sorting device of the character described comprising a support, an apertured shelf mounted on said support, a member arranged to swing about a pivot from and toward the underside of said shelf, spaced partitions on said pivoted member, said partitions projecting upwardly through said apertures to subdivide the space above said shelf into a series of pigeonholes, and releasable means for retaining said member in raised position, said means being releasable at will topermit said member to swing downwardly and thereby withdraw said partitions from above the top surface of the shelf.

3. A sorting device of the character described comprising a support, an apertured shelf mounted on said support, a member shiftable from and toward the underside of said shelf, spaced elements on said shiftable member, said elements being shiftable relatively of each other on said shiftable member to vary the normal spaced relation of the elements, each element projecting upwardly through an aperture in the shelf to subdivide the space above the shelf into a series of pigeonholes when the member is in raised position, and releasable means for retaining said member in said raised position, said means being releasable to shift said member downwardly and thereby withdraw said elements from the space above the top surface of the shelf.

4. An article sorting device of the character described comprising a support, a shelf mounted on said support, a member shiftable from and toward the underside of said shelf, spaced elements on said shiftable member, said elements being shiftable relatively of each other on said shiftable member to vary the normal spaced relation of the elements, yieldable means for mantaining said shiftable elements in normally spaced relation, said elements projecting upwardly to subdivide the space above the shelf into a series of pigeonholes when the member is in raised position, whereby through said yieldable means the widths of said pigeonholes will be yieldingly self-adjusting to accommodate articles of varying bulk therein, and releasable means for retaining said member in said raised position, said means being releasable to permit said member to shift down wardly and thereby withdraw said elements from above the top surface of the shelf.

5. A sorting device of the character described comprising a support, a shelf mounted on said support, a member shiftably mounted in association with said shelf, said member having spaced elements thereon shiftable relatively to each other to vary the normal spaced relation of the elements, and yieldable means for maintaining said shiftable elements in normal spaced relation, said elements subdividing the space above the shelf into a series of pigeonholes, said member being shiftable to withdraw said elements from the space above the shelf.

6. A sorting device of the character described comprising a support, a shelf mounted on said support, a member arranged to swing about a pivot from and toward the underside of said shelf, spaced arcuate elements on said pivoted member, the curvature of the elements being concentric with said pivot, said shelf having ape'rtures for receiving said elements as they are swung about said pivot, said elements projecting upwardly through said apertures to subdivide the space above said shelf into a series of pigeonholes, and releasable means for retaining said member in raised position, said means being releasable at will to permit said member to swing downwardly and thereby withdraw said elements from above the top' surface of the shelf.

7. A sorting device of the character described comprising a support, a shelf mounted on said support, a member arranged to swing about a pivot from and toward the underside of said shelf, spaced arcuate elements on said pivoted member, the curvature of the elements being concentric with said pivot, said shelf having a longitudinally extending slot for receiving said elements as they are swung about said pivot, said elements projecting upwardly through said slot to subdivide the space above said shelf into a series of pigeonholes, said arcuate elements being shiftable relatively of each other on said member along said slot to vary the normal spaced relation of the elements to each other, and releasable means for retaining said member in raised position, said means being releasable at will to permit said member to swing downwardly and thereby withdraw said elements from above the top surface of the shelf.

8. A sorting device of the character described comprising a support, a shelf mounted on said support, a member arranged to swing about a pivot from and toward the underside of said shelf, spaced arcuate elements on said pivoted member, the curvature of the elements being concentric with said pivot, said shelf having a longitudinally extending slot for receiving said elements as they are swung about said pivot, said elements projecting upwardly through said slot to subdivide the space above said shelf into a series of pigeonholes, said arcuate elements being shiftable relatively of each other on said member along said slot to vary the normal spaced relation of the element, yieldable means for maintaining said shiftable elements in normally spaced relation, and releasable means for retaining said member in raised position, said means being releasable at will to permit said member to swing downwardly and thereby withdraw said elements from above the top surface of the shelf.

THOMAS M. JOHNSON. 

